Homecoming
by Conn8d
Summary: Sam gets by with a little help from her team. And extra help from Vala. Vala POV. Tag to Search and Rescue. Written for the Women of the Gates fic-a-thon on LJ.


**Prompt 9: **Post Search and Rescue: The girls commiserate about Sam getting 'fired'

**Author:** Conn8d  
**Genre: **Gen, Team, Friendship  
**Rating: **G  
**Spoilers & Warnings: **S10 of SG1 and S4 and S5 of SGA  
**Author's Notes: **Longest fic I have ever wrestled with written. Whoa that semester went by fast…Thanks to Gate_women Sky and Rachel500 for making the fic drive work!  
**Summary: **Sam gets by with a little help from her team. And extra help from Vala. Vala POV. Tag to Search and Rescue

**Homecoming**

Vala hurriedly got out of the car. She was not late. She thanked the nice young airman for driving her and shut the door. She couldn't be _that_ late.

Barbeque smoke and voices drifted from behind Sam's house.

"See, Sam?" Cam's voice, his drawl a bit heavier and louder after a few beers, carried as Vala approached, "I told you we'd take good care of your house."

"Indeed."

"Yeah," Daniel added wryly. Vala could almost *see* his eyes rolling at Cam as he murmured, "And Jack thinks I'm a light weight."

Vala rounded the corner of the house, unnoticed and smiled as the team came into view. General Jack O'Neill stood at the grill, beer in hand, wincing at the rising black smoke, and sporadically poking the Tau'ri meat. He was the SG1 member, or rather former SG1 member present whom Vala knew the least well. He was already working in Washington by the time Vala had come to earth. Though she only knew him a little, Vala found she admired his sense of humor and his fierce loyalty to his team.

Teal'c stood nearest to Jack, supervising the cooking. Teal'c raised his eyebrows as Jack continued to prod and fidget with the grill. She had a certain affinity with Teal'c, because he too was an alien on earth. He was the only one who shared Vala's appreciation for the strange customs of the Tau'ri.

Cam, Daniel, and Sam, each nursing a beer, sat in lawn chairs. Daniel was leaning back blinking with raised eyebrows at Cam. Daniel was the first of the Tau'ri Vala had met, very memorably, when she beat him up while attempting to steal a Tau'ri vessel. After Vala joined SG1, her relationship with Daniel had improved. Lately he seemed intent on teaching Vala all about the cultural achievements of the Tau'ri. Though his trips to art galleries and museums were interesting, Vala found that these were not what she considered to be the greatest achievements of Tau'ri culture. Chocolate, eBay, and Victoria Secret seemed, in her opinion, to be better and more useful.

Cam was leaning forward in his lawn chair, arms crossed, looking very pleased with himself. He was usually more boisterous at gatherings than any other member of SG-1, except perhaps Vala herself. He'd never admit to being the rowdy one because he didn't completely let go of his control very often, but Vala had seen how relaxed Cam could get around people he was comfortable with. Initially, Cam had not been relaxed around her, and Vala was secretly pleased to have recently been added to his off-duty comfort list.

Sam sat between the two men, looking a bit windblown and flushed. She had been back on earth for only a few hours, and the team barbeque was meant to be a sort of "welcome back shindig" as General O'Neill put it. Sam had been away commanding Atlantis for over a year, and Vala had desperately missed her close female friend.

Really, Sam was Vala's closest friend if you came right down to it. Closest she'd ever had in fact. Not because she was the only other woman on the team or because Vala spent a lot of time with her. Unlike most of the Tau'ri Vala knew, Sam, whether amused, bemused, or irritated by Vala's quirks, let Vala be herself, without trying to teach her, help her, or change her. As an ex-host herself, Vala always figured Sam understood how important it was to be yourself, even if you weren't completely happy with that self.

Vala had been meaning to tell Sam how much she appreciated their friendship, but the opportunity never arose. She had also been meaning to tell her how glad she was to have Sam back on earth, but hadn't quite found the right way to say it. The truth was that all of SG1 was pleased to have Sam back on the same planet, though they hated the cause of her return.

Vala was pretty sure "Oh, I am actually glad you lost your amazing job in another galaxy because I really missed you" wouldn't go over very well with Sam. The IOA was up to their usual political infighting, and Sam's command had been the victim this time. SG1 was happy to have Sam back, but Sam was not so thrilled to be there. Consequently, Vala expected that this get-together was going to be rather bittersweet.

Still unnoticed by her team, Vala listened as the conversation continued, Daniel saying, "It's not like we really had to _take care_ of the house. Cassie was actually maintained every-"

"That's what I'm talkin' bout!" Cam interrupted, "We made sure to protect the house from gaggles of college students!"

"Gaggles?" Teal'c asked, eying Cam.

"Cassie's a good kid," Jack said waving a hand at some of the smoke that came from the grill.

"Good kid or no," Cam continued, "Parties happen in college. 'Specially when the folks go across town to a dinner, or outta town for the weekend and you get access to a house! So, when your folk are in _another galaxy_ for an extended period of time you **have got** to have at least a party or two!"

"Not in another galaxy anymore," Sam said with a sigh.

The chuckling mood evaporated, replaced by a suffocating silence that was only interrupted by occasional _pop_ of the grill. The smiles fell off SG1's faces as they all turned to Sam, each felling guilty that the subject of her return had been brought up. Her abrupt replacement from her command was definitely a tender spot for all, especially Sam.

Vala did not like the defeated look that came across her friend's face. It just was not Sam. She also did not like the uncomfortable sympathy that animated the rest of her friends' faces when they looked at Sam. Perhaps now was the time to step in.

Taking a deep breath, Vala confidently strode into their view.

"And may many gaggles of college students destroy that stupid little bald man's house while he is away in another galaxy!"

"You're late!" Daniel said.

"Apparently being late is fashionable, Darling."

This brought a small smile to Sam's face.

"Well, it's not really Woolsey's fault," Sam said.

"And it's not yours either!" Sam's eyes widened at the sudden frankness, and Vala smirked at her strategy.

Embellish and enhance the truth most of the time, then be totally and utterly honest just when they least expect it. It's enough to make any spoken truth memorable.

"I find that I quite disagree with your quaint Tau'ri saying about not killing messengers. It makes perfect sense to me," Vala continued.

"Indeed," Teal'c added, "It can be most…satisfying."

Sam's smile grew.

"Exactly Muscles! Honestly Samantha, you can't tell me that you wouldn't have felt better if you had socked him right there in the gateroom!" Vala said raising a fist for emphasis.

Cam was chuckling and Daniel was smiling and shaking his head.

"Well…you do have a point," Sam concluded.

Everyone was laughing now, and the easy relaxed mood that had disappeared earlier was back. A loud pop crackled from the grill, causing Jack to jump back yelping "ho!" breaking the spell of laughter, and causing everyone to turn and face the grill.

"Be careful General O!"

"I believe the hamburgers are finished, O'Neill," Teal'c said leaning over to inspect the meat cooking on the grill.

"I don't know T," Jack said, squinting at the barbeque, "Carter said she wanted well done."

"And I requested medium rare," Teal'c countered.

"These are all burnt," Cam said, standing up to investigate the meat himself.

Jack lifted his head from the meat. "Crispy."

"They're fine," Daniel said, standing up to get plates and utensils, "Jack always burns burgers on the grill anyway. He just likes to barbeque, it becomes an acquired taste."

"I don't always burn-"

"Jack."

"Well, sir," Sam said rising to help Daniel, "It's certainly not the first time you've burned burgers."

"Carter! I did not burn them," Jack said turning to Vala for support. When she failed to agree he let out a huff and muttered, "They're crispy."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After enjoying each other's company, their feast of burnt burgers, and moving the party inside for desert, the members of SG1 began filtering out of Sam's house.

Jack and Teal'c were the first to leave, arguing with each other about whether they would spend the rest of their evening watching hockey or Supernanny. Vala knew Teal'c was going to win, and she had a feeling that General O was about to end up spending this evening of his visit watching the British nanny instead of Canada's Hockey night.

The reason for Sam's return had popped up a few times in the conversation, leaving awkward silences in its wake. The guys seemed to think that the best way to help Sam was to avoid the subject, so whenever Atlantis came up they guiltily moved to another topic.

Vala wondered whether avoiding the subject was exactly what needed to be done. She thought that maybe Sam needed a little vent time or wine time, or some sort of expressive time. Maybe Sam actually needed to talk, instead of sucking it up, or moving on. This is what all of the SGC seemed to do when something was bothering them and Vala felt that this was a ridiculous custom. Letting emotion build up without expressing it somehow was not healthy, Vala didn't care what the Tau'ri military said.

So, when Daniel and Cam headed for the front door, and Sam began to clean up in the kitchen, she politely declined Daniel's offer for a ride.

"Vala," Daniel said in a low whisper as he grabbed her elbow and pulled her out of Sam's earshot, "What are you doing? You didn't ask Sam for a ride did you?"

"Don't worry, Daniel," Vala replied, "I can just call one of those lovely airman if I need I ride! Sam and I are long overdue for some girl talk!" She ushered he and Cam out the front door, "Which we can't have with all you boys hanging about!"

Daniel opened his mouth, about to protest, but his eyes drifted over Vala's shoulder settling on Sam's hunched shoulders dishes as she loaded the dishwasher in the kitchen. He sighed and focused on Vala.

"Just remember, it's her first night back, so…"

"What?"

"Go easy with all your 'talking'. Don't try and--You know, just give her some time to process everything."

"Daniel-"

"I'm just saying," he mouthed raising his hands as his stepped off Sam's front porch and headed toward his car.

Vala knew that she was the newest member of SG1. They'd all been through a lot together. Daniel, Jack, Teal'c and even Cam had helped Sam get through tough times before, so perhaps they knew how best to help Sam feel better. Maybe she should go back to the base and leave Sam alone tonight to deal with her return from Atlantis. That's exactly what the guys had done. They came, they cheered up a bit, they ate, and they went home.

Vala paused at the door as Daniel and Cam drove off, unsure whether she should proceed with her plan to talk with Sam. Maybe Sam would want to be alone. Honestly, she didn't have much experience in helping other people. For a long time before she joined SG1, Vala hadn't any other people to care about.

Vala wrinkled her nose as it met the scent of burnt meat on the wind. She smiled. They guys were after all was said and done guys. None of them ever seemed to want to talk about their feelings. So, if Sam had coped these past few years without 'girl talk', she didn't have to anymore.

Vala went back into Sam's house closing the door behind her. She walked into the living room, gingerly avoiding unpacked boxes. If she was going to help Sam, Vala knew that she would have to subtly ease in to it. Sam was a very private person, not quick to reveal her feelings to many people. She contemplated how best to proceed, idly browsing Sam's film collection when Sam came in from the kitchen.

"Still here?" Sam asked, a slight smile tugging at her lips.

"Well, I think we're overdue for a chat. And I know you couldn't talk about the gorgeous men of Atlantis with the boys around. Come on, spill!"

"Vala!" Sam said shaking her head and sitting on the couch.

"Fine then," Vala said, "I'll just have to tell about everything that's been going on here."

She joined Sam on the couch and proceeded to talk about life at the SGC during the past year. Vala recounted everything, from the birth of Dr. Howe's baby, to the small explosion Dr. Felger had caused that singed Dr. Lee's eyebrows, to the strange case of Sgt. Siler's missing wrench.

Sam, in turn, told Vala some highlights of commanding Atlantis, from spending hours trapped in an elevator with a Czech scientist, breaking her leg trying to climb out of an alien mineshaft, to being plagued by deadly nightmares featuring Colonel Sheppard.

"I don't think I would mind having my dreams filled with him," Vala remarked.

"It was an alien entity impersonating Sheppard!"

"Seriously," Vala scoffed, " You're not his boss anymore; you can admit he's cute."

"True."

Sam sighed and leaned back against the pillows of her couch. Okay, now was the time for Vala to venture into less superficial territory: how Sam was coping with her loss of command.

"Sam," Vala began, "It's okay to feel frustrated or disappointed or however you feel."

"I understand why it happened. The IOA…"

"Understanding it doesn't change how you feel about it."

"I-just-I know I was a little slow to get my footing as Atlantis commander. It was a hard situation to come into; losing Dr. Weir and everything…I had to slip in. I was new to their city, and I wasn't about to just waltz in and change everything."

Vala just nodded, allowing her friend to vent a bit.

"And honestly, does the IOA even care about anything Atlantis accomplished in the past year? Defeating the replicators? Any of it? It's not easy commanding a city, much less a city at war, Vala. I think I protected the city, at least as much as I knew how to."

"You know," Vala said, "I tried as hard as I could to resist Quetesh…but in the end…"

"Vala-"

"And after the Tok'ra freed me, I tried as hard as I could to convince my village that I was me again. Neither effort was enough."

"That's hardly a valid comparison…"

"Maybe not, but had you known from the beginning that this was how your command was going to end up would have done anything differently?"

Sam sighed bowing her head, "No."

"No? Then you can't blame yourself if you did your best, Sam. Sometimes, even when we do our best it isn't enough. You were an admirable commander. Don't beat yourself up just because the IOA is too stupid to care about that."

Sam looked up, meeting Vala's gaze. Vala scrutinized her friend, hoping that she had helped her to feel even a little bit better.

"Thank you."

"Anytime."

They sat, in silence before Sam broke the moment.

"Gosh," she said wrinkling her nose, "That burnt smell really lingers, huh?"

"I wasn't going to say anything," Vala replied, "but are you absolutely certain General O knows how to properly operate a barbeque?"

Sam grinned shook her head.

"Commanding Atlantis was great and I am not happy I had to leave, but it is nice to have my team again."

The End


End file.
